Linkages Between Participatory Natural Resource Management and Democratic Outcomes: A Review of the Evidence

It is widely accepted that participatory natural resource management (PNRM) can provide more effective social and ecological outcomes, but no comprehensive assessment has focused on how PNRM affects democratic outcomes more broadly. This systematic evidence review addresses that knowledge gap to answer: 1) What conditions have linked PNRM, positively or negatively, to democratic outcomes? 2) How has PNRM been linked to equity and empowerment? 3) What is the evidence base and where do remaining knowledge gaps exist? The evidence review concludes with lessons learned and implications for future programming.